Activity: Customer Relationship Selling Strategy Worksheet
Objective:
To help participants develop a structured approach to Customer Relationship Selling
by completing a detailed worksheet that guides them through each step of the
process.
Instructions:
1. Introduction (5 minutes):
o Introduce the activity by explaining that participants will be working
individually (or in pairs, if preferred) to create a comprehensive
Customer Relationship Selling strategy for a product or service of their
choice. The goal is to apply the concepts discussed in the session to a
real or hypothetical business scenario.
2. Worksheet Distribution (5 minutes):
o Provide each participant with a worksheet that outlines the 10 steps of
Customer Relationship Selling. Each section of the worksheet will
prompt them to think critically about how they would approach that
particular step in their chosen scenario.
3. Worksheet Sections:
Step 1: Prospecting and Qualification (10 minutes)
o Identify your target market and define the criteria for qualifying leads.
Consider factors like customer needs, budget, authority to purchase,
and readiness.
o Write down your criteria and list potential sources for generating leads.
Step 2: Needs Assessment and Discovery (10 minutes)
o Develop a list of open-ended questions you would ask to uncover the
customer’s needs, challenges, and goals.
o Think about how you would approach the conversation and what key
information you need to gather.
Step 3: Solution Presentation and Demonstration (10 minutes)
o Describe how you would tailor your product or service presentation to
address the specific needs identified in Step 2.
o Outline the key features and benefits you would highlight and how you
would demonstrate them.
Step 4: Handling Objections (10 minutes)
o List common objections you anticipate from your customers and write
down responses for each one.
o Consider how you would reassure the customer and build trust during
this phase.
Step 5: Value Proposition and Negotiation (10 minutes)
o Craft a clear value proposition that resonates with your customer’s
needs.
o Outline your negotiation strategy, focusing on how to create a win-win
situation.
Step 6: Closing the Sale (5 minutes)
o Choose and describe a closing technique you would use based on your
customer’s buying signals.
o Explain why this technique would be effective in your scenario.
Step 7: Onboarding and Implementation (5 minutes)
o Develop a brief plan for how you would support the customer post-sale
to ensure they get the most value from your product or service.
o Include any training, follow-up, or customer service initiatives.
Step 8: Building Relationships (5 minutes)
o Describe how you would maintain ongoing communication and support
to nurture a long-term relationship.
o Consider touchpoints, check-ins, and personalized interactions.
Step 9: Account Management (5 minutes)
o Identify opportunities for upselling or cross-selling and describe how
you would manage the account proactively.
o Think about how you can continue to add value to the customer over
time.
Step 10: Customer Satisfaction and Feedback (5 minutes)
o Outline a strategy for regularly seeking customer feedback and
responding to it promptly.
o Consider tools like surveys, follow-up calls, and customer satisfaction
metrics.
4. Worksheet Completion (30-40 minutes):
o Give participants time to work through the worksheet, encouraging
them to think deeply about each step and how it applies to their
chosen product or service.
o If they are stuck, encourage them to consider past experiences or
hypothetical situations that could help inform their strategy.
5. Group Discussion (15-20 minutes):
o After everyone has completed their worksheets, bring the group back
together to discuss their strategies.
o Ask volunteers to share one or two key insights they gained from
completing the worksheet and how they might apply these strategies
in real-world scenarios.
6. Reflection and Wrap-Up (10 minutes):
o Encourage participants to reflect on the activity and how it has helped
them think more strategically about customer relationship selling.
o Discuss how this structured approach can be integrated into their daily
work to improve sales outcomes and customer satisfaction.
Outcome: Participants will develop a detailed, actionable Customer Relationship
Selling strategy that they can apply to their own sales processes. The worksheet
serves as a practical guide, helping them internalize each step and think critically
about how to build and maintain strong customer relationships.
4o
You said:
Sample strategies
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
Here are some sample strategies for each step of the Customer Relationship Selling
process, using a hypothetical scenario where the product is a cloud-based project
management software aimed at small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
Sample Strategies
Step 1: Prospecting and Qualification
Strategy:
Target Market: Focus on SMBs in industries like marketing, IT services, and
creative agencies, where project management is critical.
Qualification Criteria:
o Need: Businesses that are struggling with project deadlines or team
collaboration.
o Budget: Companies with an annual revenue of $500,000 to $10
million, indicating they have the resources to invest in software.
o Decision-Maker: Identify and target operations managers or IT
directors who have the authority to make purchasing decisions.
Lead Generation Sources: Use LinkedIn, industry webinars, and referrals
from existing clients to identify potential leads.
Step 2: Needs Assessment and Discovery
Strategy:
Open-Ended Questions:
o "Can you walk me through your current project management process?"
o "What challenges do you face when coordinating tasks across different
teams?"
o "What are your top priorities for improving project management over
the next year?"
Approach: Conduct a discovery call or meeting where you actively listen to
the customer’s pain points and goals. Focus on understanding their workflow
and the specific bottlenecks they experience.
Step 3: Solution Presentation and Demonstration
Strategy:
Tailored Presentation: Highlight features that solve specific challenges,
such as:
o Task Automation: Demonstrate how the software automates
repetitive tasks, saving time and reducing errors.
o Collaboration Tools: Show how teams can collaborate in real-time,
with integrated chat and file sharing, which is particularly beneficial for
remote teams.
o Customization: Explain how the software can be tailored to fit their
specific project workflows.
Demonstration: Provide a live demo tailored to the customer’s industry,
showing how the software would work with a project similar to theirs.
Step 4: Handling Objections
Strategy:
Common Objections:
o Price Concern: "We’re worried about the cost of transitioning to new
software."
o Response: "While there is an upfront cost, many of our clients have
seen a significant return on investment within six months due to
increased efficiency and fewer project delays. We also offer flexible
payment plans to ease the transition."
o Product Fit Concern: "How will this integrate with our existing tools?"
o Response: "Our software has built-in integrations with most popular
tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Jira. We also offer custom integration
services if needed."
Strategy: Acknowledge the concern, provide data or testimonials, and offer
a trial period or a flexible contract to mitigate risk.
Step 5: Value Proposition and Negotiation
Strategy:
Value Proposition: "Our cloud-based project management software helps
SMBs like yours streamline workflows, improve team collaboration, and meet
deadlines more consistently—all while being scalable as your business
grows."
Negotiation:
o Offer tiered pricing based on the number of users or feature set.
o Include additional services like onboarding or premium support at a
discounted rate.
o Focus on creating a win-win outcome by aligning the solution with the
customer’s budget and needs.
Step 6: Closing the Sale
Strategy:
Closing Technique: Use the Assumptive Close—"When would you like to
schedule the onboarding session?" or "Shall we go ahead and set up your
team on the platform by the end of this week?"
Reasoning: This technique works well because it smoothly transitions the
customer from consideration to action without making them feel pressured.
Step 7: Onboarding and Implementation
Strategy:
Onboarding Plan:
o Week 1: Setup accounts and integrate with existing tools.
o Week 2: Conduct a training session for key users.
o Week 3: Provide ongoing support through check-in calls and Q&A
sessions.
Goal: Ensure a smooth and seamless transition to the new software, with
minimal disruption to the customer’s current projects.
Step 8: Building Relationships
Strategy:
Ongoing Communication:
o Monthly check-in calls to review usage and address any issues.
o Quarterly business reviews to discuss the customer’s evolving needs
and how the software can continue to support them.
Personalized Interactions: Send tailored tips and best practices based on
their usage patterns, and invite them to exclusive webinars.
Step 9: Account Management
Strategy:
Upselling Opportunity: After six months of successful use, introduce
advanced features like AI-driven project insights or additional storage options.
Cross-Selling Opportunity: Suggest complementary products like a time-
tracking tool that integrates seamlessly with the project management
software.
Proactive Management: Schedule regular strategy sessions to ensure the
software evolves with the customer’s needs.
Step 10: Customer Satisfaction and Feedback
Strategy:
Feedback Mechanism: Use surveys after each major milestone (e.g., after
onboarding, after the first project completion) to gauge satisfaction and
gather suggestions.
Responsive Action: Address any negative feedback immediately with a
personal follow-up call, offering solutions or additional support to resolve
issues.
Continuous Improvement: Use the feedback to refine your product and
service offerings, showing customers that their input directly influences your
business.
These sample strategies demonstrate how to apply the principles of Customer
Relationship Selling in a structured, practical way. By following these strategies,
participants can enhance their ability to build strong, long-term relationships that
drive sustained success.
4o
You said:
Create an activity that will make them discuss the 10 steps
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
Activity: Roundtable Discussion: The 10 Steps of Customer Relationship
Selling
Objective:
To encourage participants to engage in a collaborative discussion, sharing insights,
strategies, and experiences related to the 10 steps of Customer Relationship Selling.
Instructions:
1. Introduction (5 minutes):
o Begin by explaining that the objective of the activity is to facilitate a
deep discussion on each of the 10 steps of Customer Relationship
Selling.
o Emphasize that this is an opportunity for participants to learn from
each other, exchange ideas, and explore different perspectives on how
these steps can be applied in various sales contexts.
2. Group Formation (5 minutes):
o Divide the participants into 10 small groups, assigning one of the 10
steps of Customer Relationship Selling to each group.
o If the group size is smaller, you can divide participants into fewer
groups and assign multiple steps to each group.
3. Discussion Preparation (10 minutes):
o Provide each group with a handout or a digital document outlining their
assigned step(s) with key points to consider.
o Encourage them to discuss within their group the following:
The importance of the assigned step in the Customer
Relationship Selling process.
Examples or experiences where they’ve seen this step
successfully implemented (or challenges faced).
Strategies or best practices they believe are essential for
executing this step effectively.
4. Roundtable Discussion (50 minutes):
o Reassemble the groups into a roundtable (or virtual roundtable if
online) setting.
o Starting with Step 1, ask each group to present their discussion points
on their assigned step.
o After each group presents, open the floor for a broader discussion,
allowing other participants to share their thoughts, ask questions, or
add to the points made by the presenting group.
o Continue this process through all 10 steps.
5. Summary and Key Takeaways (10 minutes):
o After all steps have been discussed, summarize the key insights shared
by each group.
o Highlight common themes, innovative ideas, or particularly effective
strategies that were brought up during the discussion.
o Encourage participants to consider how they can integrate these
strategies into their own sales processes.
6. Reflection and Wrap-Up (10 minutes):
o Invite participants to reflect on the discussion by asking questions such
as:
"Which step do you find most challenging, and why?"
"How do you think this discussion will impact your approach to
sales?"
"Are there any steps you feel need more attention in your
current sales strategy?"
o Wrap up the activity by encouraging participants to continue these
discussions with their teams or colleagues after the session.
Outcome: Participants will gain a deeper understanding of each step in the
Customer Relationship Selling process through collaborative discussion. This activity
allows them to learn from each other’s experiences, explore different perspectives,
and develop actionable strategies that they can apply in their own sales
environments. The roundtable format ensures that all participants are engaged and
that diverse viewpoints are shared and considered.
